The Popular Fast Food Pizza Chain You'll Only Find In Japan And How It Was Inspired By Godzilla

Pizza-la is the second-biggest pizza delivery chain in Japan, beaten only by the American chain, Domino's. This cinematically inspired fast-food pizza spot has made a name for itself in the country and has more than 550 locations across Japan. The inspiration for the name is linked to the movie "Godzilla," which is the famous Japanese monster, as Pizza-la mixes "pizza" with the "la" from Godzilla. This name spawned from the chain's creator, Hidenori Asano, who wanted a brand recognition the size of the monster itself. Not only did the name pull from Godzilla's inspiration, the brand still partners with on-going Godzilla movie franchises to this day.

Though it might seem like the chain's name directly came from "Godzilla," the Pizza-la idea came from American cinema as a whole. Apparently, Asano was moved after seeing the Steven Spielberg masterpiece "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." Funnily enough, Spielberg himself owned a nautical-themed sandwich shop in LA.

Asano was fascinated by the scene where kids were shown eating a delivered pizza, which wasn't commonly found in Japan during that time (in the 1980s). After this out-of-this-world revelation came to Asano, Pizza-la was created under the Four Seeds Corporation umbrella.

While it might not have quite the same feel as an Izakaya in Japan, Pizza-la has many places to grab a pizza to-go, dine-in (with cocktails available), or have one delivered to you. Since Pizza-la has grown in popularity throughout the region, it has also enhanced its entertainment presence by having a location at the Fuji-Q Highland theme park in Fujiyoshida, Japan.

Pizza-la's menu has a mix of Japanese-style toppings, as well as traditional ones you'd find globally. Some of the interesting pizzas you'll find are garlic shrimp, creamy corn, seafood, teriyaki chicken, and tuna with bacon. If you do not want to venture too far into the local toppings, you can customize your order from doughs to sauce combinations in three different sizes –- small, medium, and large.

You also don't have to stick with pizza at Pizza-la, as it has many options like classic pasta, side items like soup, salad, and chicken wings, as well as the Spanish-inspired paella. Pizza-la also offers desserts like cheesecake, marble ice cream, and apple pie to give you a sweet treat to end the meal.